Wednesday, June 19, 2019

📌 Libra is Here (Details), U.S. Customers Blocked from Binance, and Bakkt Launch Date Announced

MUST READS

Facebook Officially Announces Libra

We know, there's been a TON of headlines about Facebook's new crypto project. So we'll make this quick... while providing some helpful resources along the way.

Facebook finally announced details about its new cryptocurrency on Tuesday morning. The digital currency, called Libra, will be available starting next year to the billions of people who use Facebook services like Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

If the new currency catches on, it has the potential to change how people save, spend, and send money, and could disrupt big parts of the tech and banking industries.

Resources:

The official white paper (with annotations)
The entire list of inaugural backers/partners
Pro and Anti Libra takes
Our favorite twitter breakdown. (hint: it's all about the data, folks)

Bakkt to Start Testing Futures Product on July 22

Bakkt's long-awaited bitcoin futures product is set to start July 22, a little more than a month from now.

The physically-delivered futures product was originally set to go live at the end of 2018 but has been set back by regulatory hurdles.

Unsure how crypto futures work? Here's an introduction.

Bitcoin-Pegged Cryptocurrencies... Let the Fun Begin

Binance is (kind of) bringing Bitcoin trading to their decentralized exchange (DEX).

The crypto exchange has its own DEX built on its own blockchain platform called Binance Chain. But the exchange only supports tokens built on Binance Chain – meaning its users can't trade any other cryptocurrencies.

To solve this, Binance is introducing tokens on its platform that will be pegged one-to-one with major cryptocurrencies, starting with bitcoin.

Teeka Tiwari to Share His Favorite Cannabis Small-Cap on June 26th

Legendary fund manager Teeka Tiwari has personally investigated dozens of cannabis small-cap companies...

And is about to release a new report on them.

One in particular, he's calling the "Canadian Amazon of medical CBD."

To get the details on his new report...

Click here...

DEEP DIVE

Helium - Better than WiFi, Cheaper than Cellular

Internet of Things? Check. Electric scooters? You bet. Cryptocurrency? Did you even have to ask?

Today we wanted to share a write up about Helium, a 6-year-old startup cofounded by Shawn Fanning, inventor of Napster. The company is developing a long-range, low-power wireless protocol for transmitting data.

More importantly, the firm just raised $15 million from Multicoin Capital and Union Square Venture. If the big boys are starting to show interest, maybe we should too.

Jack Dorsey: Bitcoin, Facebook's Libra, and Building a Global Currency for the Internet

Quartz recently sat down with Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Square, to talk about his vision for the future of finance, bitcoin, and the end of cash.

"I would hope that all private companies can see the value of having a stateless currency that all people can access, and is not bounded or constrained by any one corporate entity."

An Inside Look at the Chinese Crypto Scene... and Why There's Still Loads of Potential

Founding partner at Primitive Ventures, Eric Meltzer, explains how China's crypto scene has evolved from being mainly centered around crypto mining to being more focused on innovative, blockchain-driven platforms.

REGULATORY FRONT

🇺🇸 U.S. Customers to be Blocked from Trading on Binance.com

Binance has announced that it will stop serving US individual and corporate customers on Binance.com in September. An updated statement in Binance's Terms of Use (ToS) reads that the company "is unable to provide services to any U.S. person."

Users who are not in accordance with Binance's ToS by September 12th will no longer be able to trade or deposit on Binance.com.

The news isn't as bad as it seems. Binance will soon be launching Binance.US – a new exchange solely serving the U.S. userbase. Collectively, this news will be a HUGE win for BTC and ETH... and bad news for BNB and a number of alt coins. Here's why.